Saadi Dal

I remember this thought that came to my mind when I had started cooking and exploring recipes way before I got married – I wanted to get married into a family which was culturally diverse from mine so I could learn everyday recipes which you don’t see served in restaurants or any dawaats.

This is one such recipe from my sister’s in-laws place. I really don’t know why it is called saadi dal; I would associate this name with the normal yellow dal we make. However I too tend to call this by the same name now. It is a good accompaniment to dry non-veg items or non-veg items with minimal gravy.

Ingredients

½ cup black urad dal,

½ cup of masoor dal + arhar dal (1:1),

5-6 cloves of garlic,

Salt to taste,

2 pinches of asafoetida,

Green chillies to taste,

1 tbsp ghee,

1 tsp cumin seeds

Method

Wash all the dals together and cook it with the garlic cloves, chopped green chillies, one pinch of asafoetida and salt to taste.

When done mash it well to it forms a uniform mixture. Add water as required to get a consistency as per your preference. Boil it again.

Heat ghee and then add the cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds pop add the remaining asafoetida and drizzle over the dal. Cover the lid of the dal immediately so it assimilates the flavours. Serve hot.

Goes well with rice and a dry or semi-dry chicken or mutton dish.